Spillover Fitting

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a spillover fitting that routes cables from a lateral trough. The spillover fitting includes fitting walls and a floor positioned between the fitting walls. The floor has an extension flange that extends into the lateral trough. The spillover fitting also includes a containment member that extends from the extension flange. The containment member is positioned over the lateral trough to contain cables routed out of the lateral trough into the spillover fitting.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.61/119,871, filed Dec. 4, 2008, the subject matter of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to cable management and, moreparticularly, to a spillover fitting for use in field applications, suchas installations using raceways, troughs or other cable managementapparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cable exit trough or spillover devices that help route cables out of andover the sidewalls of ducts and raceways are well-known. When dealingwith fiber optic cables, it is also well-known that the spilloverfitting should provide bend radius control for the cables being routed.Therefore, it would be desirable to have an improved spillover fitting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A spillover fitting is positioned on a lateral trough to route cablesfrom the lateral trough. The spillover fitting includes fitting wallsand a floor positioned between the fitting walls. The floor includes anextension flange that extends into the lateral trough. The spilloverfitting also includes a containment member that extends from theextension flange. The containment member is positioned over the lateraltrough for containing cables routed out of the lateral trough into thespillover fitting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a spillover in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the spillover of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a containment member of the spilloverof FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1D is a front elevational view of the spillover of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1E is a front elevational view of the spillover of FIG. 1A, showinga cable being routed out of a lateral trough;

FIG. 1F is a side elevational view of the spillover of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of aspillover in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a front elevational view of the spillover of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of another alternate embodiment of aspillover in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a front elevational view of the spillover of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a front perspective view of a containment member of thespillover of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a front perspective view of another alternate embodiment of aspillover in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a front elevational view of the spillover of FIG. 4A; and

FIG. 4C is a front elevational view of the spillover of FIG. 4A, showingcables being routed out of a lateral trough.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1A-1F illustrate one embodiment of a spillover 100, which is shownas having a 2×2 inch exit end geometry. Spillover 100 has two walls 105and a floor 106 that define an exit path for cables 30 routed from thelateral trough 40. Each wall 105 has a curved lead-in wall 108 extendingtherefrom so as to be disposed over the lateral trough 40 that mayprovide control for cables 30 being routed out of the lateral trough 40.The lead-in walls 108 do not extend below the top of the side wall ofthe lateral trough 40, as shown in FIG. 1E. The floor 106 also includesan extension flange 110.

As can also be seen in FIGS. 1A-1F, the spillover 100 includes acontainment member 115, which is generally T-shaped and has a firstportion 120 and a second portion 125. The containment member 115 isformed separately from the spillover 100 and connected by appropriatemeans. In this embodiment, the containment member 115 has a snap feature130 that engages a corresponding snap arm 135 to secure the containmentmember 115 to the floor extension flange 110 of spillover 100 (see FIG.1B). It is understood that the containment member 115 can also be formedintegrally with the spillover 100.

The first portion 120 of the containment member 115 extendsperpendicular to, and from the midpoint of, the floor extension flange110 and is disposed over the lateral trough 40. Preferably, the firstportion 120 is rounded so as to provide protection for any cables thatenter the spillover fitting by passing on either side of the firstportion 120. The second portion 125 includes a pair of arms that extendin opposite directions perpendicular to the first portion 120. Each armof the second portion 125 has a curved section 140 at each distal end145 adjacent the wall 108, as best seen in FIG. 1F. The containmentmember 115 is made from a flexible yet resilient material such asplastic so that the two arms of the second portion 125 can be deflectedto allow cables 30 to be routed out of the lateral trough 40 and intothe spillover 100 with ease, and then return to their original position,thereby helping to contain the cables 30 within the spillover 100.

FIGS. 2A and 2B disclose another embodiment of a spillover 200, which isshown as having a 4×4 inch exit geometry. Spillover 200 is the same asspillover 100 except for the size of the spillover 200 and theconfiguration of the containment member 215. In this embodiment, thecontainment member 215 is larger than the containment member 115 due tothe size of the spillover 200.

FIGS. 3A-3C disclose another embodiment of a spillover 300. Spillover300 is the same as spillover 200 except for the configuration of thecontainment member 315. In this embodiment, the first portion 320 of thecontainment member 315 is formed large enough and with the appropriateradii to provide minimum bend radius control for cables passing oneither side of the first portion 320.

FIGS. 4A-4C disclose another embodiment of a spillover 400. Spillover400 is the same as spillover 200 except for the addition of a bendradius control member 450 which clips onto the first portion (not shown,but the same as first portion 220) of the containment member 415. Asbest seen in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the bend radius control member 450 has afirst generally flat side 455 and a second curved side 460 opposite thefirst side 455. As shown in FIG. 4C, when cables 30 exit the lateraltrough 40 from the right side as shown and enter the spillover 400, thesecond side 460 provides bend radius control for cables 30 that arerouted along the second side 460. While the bend radius control member450 shown is not reversible, it is understood that this could be done ifdesired. A mirror image of the configuration of control member 450 couldbe used to control cables 30 exiting the lateral trough 40 from the leftside.

The foregoing description of examples of the invention has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description, and is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. The description was selected to best explain the principlesof the invention and its practical application to enable others skilledin the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments andvarious modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by thespecification.

1. A spillover fitting for routing cables from a lateral trough, thespillover fitting comprising: fitting walls; a floor positioned betweenthe fitting walls, wherein the floor having an extension flangeextending into the lateral trough; and a containment member extendingfrom the extension flange, wherein the containment member is positionedover the lateral trough for containing cables routed out of the lateraltrough into the spillover fitting.
 2. The spillover fitting of claim 1,wherein each fitting wall has a curved lead-in wall for controllingcables routed out of the lateral trough into the spillover fitting. 3.The spillover fitting of claim 2, wherein the curved lead-in wallsextend from a bottom of the fitting wall towards a top wall of thelateral trough.
 4. The spillover fitting of claim 1, wherein thecontainment member is integrally formed with the extension flange. 5.The spillover fitting of claim 1, wherein the containment memberincludes a snap member and the extension flange includes a snap arm,whereby the snap arm in the extension flange receives the snap member ofthe containment member to secure the containment member to the spilloverfitting.
 6. The spillover fitting of claim 1, wherein the containmentmember extends from the midpoint of the extension flange.
 7. Thespillover fitting of claim 1, wherein the containment member includes afirst portion extending from the extension flange and a second portionperpendicular to the first portion.
 8. The spillover fitting of claim 7,wherein the first portion having a rounded profile.
 9. The spilloverfitting of claim 7, wherein the first portion having a bend radius forenabling cables to pass on each side of the first portion.
 10. Thespillover fitting of claim 7, wherein the second portion having a pairof arms extending in opposite directions with a downwardly curvedsection at a distal end of each arm.
 11. The spillover fitting of claim7, wherein the second portion having a pair of arms extending inopposite directions, wherein each arm having an upwardly curved sectionleading to a downwardly curved section at a distal end of each arm. 12.The spillover fitting of claim 7, wherein each fitting wall has a curvedlead-in wall for controlling cables routed out of the lateral troughinto the spillover fitting.
 13. The spillover fitting of claim 12,wherein the curved lead-in wall and the second portion of thecontainment member define a cable pathway for routing cables from thelateral trough.
 14. The spillover fitting of claim 12, wherein thesecond portion extends upwardly toward the curved lead-in walls.
 15. Aspillover fitting for routing cables from a lateral trough, thespillover fitting comprising: fitting walls positioned a distance apartto define a width therebetween, each fitting wall having a first end anda second end, wherein the width at the first end is identical to thewidth at the second end; a floor positioned between the fitting walls,wherein the floor having an extension flange extending into the lateraltrough; and a containment member extending from the extension flange.16. A cable management system comprising: a lateral trough; and aspillover fitting positioned on the lateral trough for routing cablesout of the lateral trough, the spillover fitting including fitting wallsand a floor positioned between the fitting walls; wherein the floorhaving an extension flange extending into the lateral trough and acontainment member extending from the extension flange, the containmentmember is positioned over the lateral trough for containing cablesrouted out of the lateral trough into the spillover fitting.